The present invention relates to backpacks and in particular to backpacks for carrying personal transportation devices such as a skateboards, roller blades, shoes or the like.
Skateboards and roller blades, for example, have become very popular around the world. Generally, a skateboard or roller blade user travels along a given path until prevented from doing so, at which time they pick the skateboard up or remove their roller blades and carry them by hand or place then loosely in a bag. For many people, the awkwardness of carrying a skateboard or roller blades causes discomfort due to the inconvenience of having one or both hands occupied, restricting movement and possibly knocking the skateboard/roller blades or the user and damaging one or more skateboard/roller blade components.
A number of proposals to carry a skateboard, for example, have been devised. Once such example is a carry bag which retains the skateboard completely therein. A further example includes two fabric flaps attached to the sides of a standard backpack. The deck of the skateboard is placed between the flaps which overlap and secure the skateboard through use of Velcro connections. In the case of roller blades, they are usually loosely placed in a standard backpack.
The prior art proposals have several disadvantages, including: being too flexible, due to the packs being manufactured entirely out of fabric; bulkiness; insufficient amounts of tension in the flaps to fasten the skateboard (as the skateboard is fastened only between two unrigid components); movement of the skateboard between the flaps and the bag causing wear; the unsecured roller blades hitting each other whilst free to move in a backpack and an undesirable amount of time needed to load and unload skateboards and roller blades.
It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least to provide a useful alternative.
There is firstly disclosed herein a backpack for carrying a personal transportation device having forward and rear portions, said backpack including:
a harness arrangement for securing to the back of a user;
a body portion securable to said harness and having first and second ends; and
first and second securing means at each said end respectively and extending outwardly therefrom to releasably engage each respective portion of said device.
Preferably, said device, when engaged, is retained substantially parallel to and adjacent said body portion.
Preferably, one of said first and second securing means includes a pair of hooks.
Preferably, one of said first and second securing means, in use, is resiliently biasable into engagement with one of said portions.
Preferably, said resiliently biased securing means includes a spring loaded hinged arm to effect said biasing.
Preferably, said arm includes a pair of hooks.
Preferably, one of said first and second securing means is a support plate.
Preferably, one of said first and second securing means is an adjustable support bar.
Preferably, one of said first and second securing means includes a strap assembly to further retain said device to said body portion.
Preferably, said body portion is contoured to the shape of said back of said user.
Preferably, said body portion is rigid.
Preferably, said body portion is manufactured of a hard plastics material.
Preferably, said device is a skateboard, pair of roller blades or pair of shoes.